The curse of the immortal
by 51stcenturygirl
Summary: Jack's struggles with the consequences of the year that never was, Ianto is there for him. From Ianto's POV. Warnings for suicide (though nothing graphic). Rated T to be safe. My first Torchwood fic so I hope you like it.


**Anyone who really knows me will know of my love of Captain Jack Harkness and Torchwood. I've had a few idea floating around in my head for stories relating to him and Torchwood for a while now, but never actually got around to putting the words down on paper. These are initially short one shots but i'll see how it goes.**

 **Anyway, thought i'd start with a Jack/Ianto story based after 'The last of the timelords' Doctor Who episode. *I don't own Torchwood/Doctor Who- things would turn out differently if I did.***

Ianto, picked up his jacket, all set to leave the hub and head home after a rather routine (by Torchwood standards), but hectic day. Three weevils had attacked a dog walker in the park, and a man eating lizard thing with a very strange name that only Jack seemed able to pronounce, had fallen through the rift and started chasing the homeless through the alleyways of back street Cardiff; oh- and Jack had died again when a blowfish with a dangerous temper pushed him off the top floor a multi story car park. Still, just another day in the life of Torchwood.

Jack, as usual, had stayed behind at the hub at the end of the day. Ianto had noticed Jack wanted more company (his in particular) more often now, though being Jack he never seemed to directly ask for it. It had been the case ever since Jack asked him out that evening, in the office. It had been the case ever since Jack had got back from wherever he had run off to.

Ianto had noticed that Jack seemed a bit different than before he left. Something had happened to him, but he wasn't sure what. He also wasn't sure if he should ask Jack about it or not. Jack was not the sort of person to talk easily about his feelings or things that have happened to him. All the same, it made Ianto concerned. He'd catch Jack staring vacantly at a wall, sitting at his desk with his head in his hands, and once staring at a gun in a way that sent a shiver down Ianto's spine. So when he came to leave that evening, he wasn't sure if he should stay or go.

Ianto turned to leave, promising himself he'll ask Jack about it all tomorrow morning. But at that moment a terrifying cry came from inside the hub. It took Ianto a moment to work out what kind of creature would make such an awful sound.

Then a single gunshot. Silence. 'Oh God, Jack.' Ianto ran towards Jack's office and the entrance to Jack's bunker. He knew what Jack had done, and he knew it wouldn't be long until Jack came back- a single shot was always the quickest. He needed to be there when Jack came back.

Although, Ianto had seen Jack die several times before, seeing him lying there motionless on the floor, never got any easier. Ianto knelt on the floor of the small, dark room and cradled Jack in his arms, waiting. The waiting never got easier either. There was always the feeling in the back of his mind that Jack might actually leave him this time. Seconds passed like minutes and minutes like hours, until finally, with a giant gasp of life, Captain Jack Harkness fell back into this world. Jack struggled for a moment, not knowing who or what held him, then Ianto spoke his name and kissed his head, and Jack fell quiet again.

'Ianto? Oh god I'm sorry, I just had to make it stop. You shouldn't have to see me like this.' Ianto felt Jack shiver- cold, warmth or fear; Ianto wasn't sure but he managed to get Jack up off the floor and onto his bed, whilst wiping of the blood from Jack's head, which already, showed no trace of a bullet wound. Ianto sat next to him, pulling him close as they lent back against the wall as one.

'Tell me, please talk to me Jack,' Ianto pleaded. 'You've been different ever since you came back and if I'm honest, it's been worrying me.'

Jack sighed. 'I know, during those months I was gone, you all think I left you for some sort of holiday with the Doctor. It was no holiday, believe me. Oh, and it wasn't a few months, it was a whole year.' Ianto looked at Jack, wondering if that was some sort of metaphor or something. 'It's gonna be hard for you all to understand.' Jack paused and stared at the ceiling, as if trying to think of what to say. 'Look, the year I had with the Doctor, never happened to you and most of the world, so you won't remember it. But I remember everything. Every damn detail. Everything he did to me.'

Ianto felt himself bracing for the worst, unable to say anything, as if under some sort of spell. 'There was a man, he took control of Earth and the Doctor, for a year. An insane lunatic was master of the Earth. He knew about me, so you can imagine what he did.' Jack laughed painfully. 'Oh yeah, he had a new toy, an immortal to play with. He killed me in all the ways he knew how and then, started inventing other ways. I don't remember how many times I died, I didn't count. But I remember the pain. I was defenceless with no idea of how long this would go on for- if it would go on forever. Forever is a long time for me.'

Ianto opened his mouth to speak, but found he didn't have the words. He had a feeling Jack was only telling him a fraction of what happened to him. He felt angry with himself for not seeing Jack's pain sooner, for letting it go this far. So Ianto used actions to do what words couldn't; he turned to face Jack and kissed him softly. 'Jack, know this if you ever feel like the only way out is staring at you down a barrel of a gun, remember I'm here and I'll be your way out.'

They stayed that way, lying close on Jack's bed, until the sun started to rise over a new day in Cardiff.


End file.
